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I love the spring “Fable Friends” stamp set. It is impossible to make a ”bad” card with these cute images.

Spring and gingham paper just seem to go together! As the Gingham Gala 6X6 Designer Paper is in the Occasions Catalog which retires Jun3rd, I have purchased several packets for future use. In this image we see the darling bunny atop freshly mowed Granny Apple Green grass. The bunny is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with Stampin’ Blends. His jacket features 2 tiny pearls. The artwork is framed in Lemon Lime Twist and embellished with Lemon Lime Twist Gingham Gala DSP and organdy ribbon. 3 Frosted Flower embellishments add a spring touch. Although I am choosing to use this sweet card for Easter, it is appropriate for most occasions.

This happy squirrel is celebrating spring. He is stamped with my favorite black ink – Memento Tuxedo Black – and colored with Stampin’ Blends. He is standing amid grass that appears to need a good mowing! I chose to color his daisy Pineapple Punch for that bright yellow color. The center of the daisy holds a retired epoxy droplet that has been colored with Blends. Grapefruit Grove frames the artwork and the matching ribbon and Gingham Gala DSP adds interest. 3 Highland Heather Frosted Flower embellishments add a contrasting touch. I had a bit of trouble when I stamped the “Happy Spring” sentiment. To fix my blemish, I restamped the sentiment on scrap, die cut it and adhered it over my mistake. This would make a darling Congratulations card.

This cute set also features Mama Duck and her offspring. At April Stamp Camp, you can choose to make a duck card if you wish.

I love the Fable Friends cards. If you wish, you can choose to make both of these cards and not make one of the others. This keeps you in the 4 cards for $14.

If you can let me know what day you plan on coming to April Stamp Camp, it helps me cut the correct amount of paper.

The Paper Rose theme for April is “Welcome Spring” and this card certainly looks like spring! “Lasting Lily” is one of the new “DISTINKTIVE” stamps from Stampin’Up.

“DISTINKTIVE” stamps give you photo-realistic images with just one stamp. They have a special texture that gives added depth and dimension in a single step. These stamps are available only from Stampin’ Up! and are made using a patent-pending process. DISTINKTIVE stamps are available in red rubber and photopolymer; Paper Pumpkin’s April kit includes photopolymer stamps. Shop “DISTINKTIVE” stamps in the online store by searching “DISTINKTIVE,” or look for the “DISTINKTIVE” icon in Stampin’ Up! catalogs.

This lovely card features an open lily and a bud stamped in Daffodil Delight. Can you see the definition in the lily and in the Granny Apple Green leaves? I purchased the framelits for Lasting Lily before they sold out. Having the abiity to die cut the images is something I enjoy. However, these would be very simple to fussy cut. This set is part of Sale-A-Brations and will be gone after March 31st. I chose to make a frame to showcase the lilies. I used the stitched rectangular dies to cut the shape and then ran the frame thru the Big Shot with the Country Floral Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. The die cut lily images were adhered to 5 X 3 3/4” Whisper White cs and the frame was adhered over the art work with SU Foam Adhesive Strips. A butterfly from the Sale-A-Bration Botanical Butterfly was added to provide eye appeal. Although this makes a perfect sympathy card, I have chosen to use my Lasting Lily card for Easter. I love the detail this set provides and I look forward to stamping more “distinctive” stamps in the future.

The main Stampin’Up catalog is thru June 3, 2019. As the 2017-2019 In Colors will retire at that time, I would suggest you purchase any card stock, inks, embellishments in these colors now. As in the past, these retiring colors tend to sell out before the retirement date and then it is too late. The smaller Occasions Catalog also retires June 3rd. I think the “Tea Together” stamp set is carrying over as is the butterfly Duet Punch and the Cake Builder Punch. Other items may sell out before June 3rd so if there is something you feel would enhance your craft library, now is the time to purchase it.

Double-time stamping is a fun technique that I have read about but never tried before. You can also do triple-time stamping, but I thought we would start with the simpler version. Heartfelt Blooms is the perfect stamp candidate for this technique.

With double-time stamping, we are going to stamp double – or 2 – layers of Whisper White cs. The layers are stacked with the smallest on top. I used removable or temporary mono snail to hold the layers in place. The layers can be stacked in the center as shown here, or along the side. The image – Heartfelt Blooms is used here – is stamped over both layers at the same time. There will be a gap around the second layer. However, when the matting layer is added, the gaps will disappear. Melon Mambo cs was used to mat both stamped layers which were adhered to the Pretty in Pink card. I found an entire package of retired Pretty in Pink and thought it would be a subtle color to subdue the bright Melon Mambo. Pearls were colored with a light pink Sharpie and add additional depth and interest to the card. Clear Wink of Stella was brushed on lightly over the lighter mambo shades. Wink of Stella will take up the ink color so it must be applied judiciously. A die cut oval Happy Birthday sentiment is shown on this dimensionals. The second sample uses a Happy Easter sentiment.

One aspect of Heartfelt Blooms that I really liked was the ability of the image to provide instant beauty to both the message layer as you see here, and the envelope as shown below. This is such a versatile stamp set yet it cannot be purchased. It is a reward thru the current Sale-A-Brations promotion. If you purchase $50 of any Stampin’ Up products, you can receive this stamp set free – or any of the $50 sets found at Sale-A-Brations 2018. If you buy $100 worth of product, you can choose a $100 set found at the same Sale-A-Brations site. Sound confusing, talk to me and I will explain the promotion in full. And remember my personal 20% discount for the month of February. So $50 is really $40 and $100 is really $80.

Doesn’t the envelope appear elegant with the partial Heartfelt Blooms stamp in the corner. This is truly a versatile stamp set.

Sale-A-Bration is a great time to join Stampin’Up as a demonstrator. For $99, see what you get! And YOU choose your $125 in products and the two addition free stamp sets. How long do you have to remain a demonstrator? That is up to you. Paper crafting is my passion and I enjoy being a demonstrator. I love sharing what I have learned. If it doesn’t work for you, you simply stop ordering. This is a great opportunity to obtain some exciting SU products.

I will be posting the final blog post tomorrow. This final spring-time card is a combination of Party Pandas and Sunshine and Rainbows. We will be using Prussian Blue Brusho for our sky. We will be using more Brusho in April and will be combining the red with the yellow and gamboge to come up with a vibrant flower or butterfly.

Don’t forget – March Stamp Camp is March 1st from 1 – 7 pm, March 2nd from 1 – 7 pm, and March 3rd from 9 am – 4 pm.

I love the daffodils from the You’re Inspiring Stamp Set. The flowers have been stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento and colored with the new Stampin’ Blends in light and dark Calypso Coral, light and dark Daffodil Delight and light Old Olive. The blends are so much fun to use! And I love the blends color remover that can touch up the little bits of ink that jump outside the border of your image. The white frame is edged in Daffodil Delight scallops and layered onto dry embossed Calypso Coral and then onto Whisper White and the daffodil card. The Easter sentiment is stamped on white, die cut in an oval shape and layered onto a Daffodil Delight die cut scalloped oval. This set also features a smaller row of daffodils that I stamped and colored both inside the card and on the envelope. On the second sample of this card, I used a Happy Birthday sentiment and message.

The month of February with my 20% product discount would be a great time to pick up the Stampin’ Blends and also take advantage of the Sale-A-Brations promotion. You can see the blends on page 31 of the Occasions Catalog. You can also view them at Stampin’ Blends.

This is project 2 for our March Stamp Camp. Blog Post 3 will come out sometime tomorrow and will feature double time stamping and Heartfelt Blooms. See you then,

Hi Crafters! I’ve dedicated our March Stamp Camp to Easter flowers. Actually, 3 cards will be Easter flowers and the last one will be springy and abound with clouds – but no flowers.

Tranquil Tulips is actually a retired stamp from last year. I had planned on introducing it in spring 2017 but my back surgery delayed that possibility until after it had retired. This is such a beautiful stamp set. The tulips are stamped in Powder Pink, Sweet Sugarplum, and Berry Burst with Wild Wasabi greenery. The beautiful marbled background, stamped in Powder Pink, lends a softness to the card. The tulips are stamped on a white oval and layered onto Berry Burst. I did not have oval dies that met my specifications so I used my Stamp’n’Cut to provide the exact size ovals needed. I chose to omit a sentiment on the card front as I felt it would detract from the art panel. A single tulip is stamped on the message layer and the envelope. This is the first of the Easter flower cards for March Stamp Camp. Of course, these cards can be used for a birthday, anniversary, sympathy, get well or any other occasion.

Due to popular request, I am moving the starting time on Thursdays to 1 pm. Fridays will remain at 2 pm. So…dates and times for March Stamp Camp are: Thursday, March 1st from 1 – 7 pm, Friday March 2nd from 2-7 pm, and Saturday March 3rd from 9 am – 4 pm. The cost is $12 for the 4 cards and $2 for each additional card. I appreciate your letting me know when you might be coming to ensure I have adequate kits prepared, although I always keep a couple extra on hand. As always, I provide all supplies and tools.

REMINDER REMINDER REMINDER; 20% Stampin’Up product discount for the month of February. The discount is given by me personally so all orders must filter through me. This is a great time to stock up on your staples and take advantage of the Sale-A-Brations promotion. You can choose a free $50 or$100 item from the Sale-A-Brations brochure for each $50 or $100 you spend on any SU products. There are several new Sale-A-Bration items that became available on 2/16 and can be seen at Sale-A-Bration 2018.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Looking forward to seeing you in March!

This card was CAS’d from BJ Peters. I love this stamp from the “Easter Message” stamp set! Although I am using this set for Easter, it is very appropriate for sympathy cards. These cards are super simple.

This elegant card uses a Very Vanilla card base with Sahara Sand as the first layer. The image is stamped in Versa Mark on a piece of Falling in Love DSP and embossed with gold embossing powder and heat set. The cross is then colored in with your choice of several markers. BJ Peters who designed this card colored in the cloth area with the White Chalk Marker. I prefer to leave the cloth plain and add a bit of Wink of Stella. The embossed DSP is layered onto gold foil cs and adhered to the card front. The inside message I chose to gold emboss on the inside layer reads “He is not here; He has risen. Matthew 28:6.” I stamped a single palm frond in Sahara Sand on the lower right corner and on the envelope.

This second sample is my design. The card stock is the same as the sample above. However, the picture photographed darker for some reason. The Easter lily stamp from the “Easter Message” set is stamped in Versa Mark on the Falling in Love DSP, and heat set in gold. The leaves and flowers are colored with Stampin’ Write markers and Wink of Stella is lightly brushed on. The lily is die cut with an oval framelit and layered on a larger gold foil oval. The sentiment “Happy Easter” is heat embossed in gold at the bottom. On the inside message layer, “May peace be your gift this Easter” is heat embossed in gold. Like the sample above, a single palm frond is stamped in Sahara Sand on the lower right corner and on the envelope. The 2 Easter Message card samples are simple but very elegant. This is definitely a case where “less is more.”

And that, fellow crafters, is what we have for March Stamp Camp! As a reminder, dates/times for March Stamp Camp are Thursday March 2nd from 2 – 9 pm, Friday March 3rd from 2 – 9 pm, and Saturday March 4th from 9 am – 4 pm. I do ask you to let me know if you are going to come during the 6-9 pm time frame so that I can fix my mother’s dinner prior to your arrival. As long as you let me know by Tuesday, February 28th which cards you wish you to, I will have your custom packet ready. Please remember to let me know as soon as you can so I am not in a cutting panic on March 1st. Cost is $12 for 4 cards and $2 for each card beyond 4.

On a personal note, it appears I will have neurosurgery on Monday, March 13th at 7:15 AM at Northwestern in Chicago. The procedure is Inter-body fusion S1 -T5 or 4. I had my preoperative appointment at Northwestern on Tuesday, February 21st. Had to give lots of blood. I will have 7-9 hours of surgery then will be in ICU at least overnight. After 7-10 days of hospitalization, I will transfer to inpatient rehab for 2-4 weeks. Marian Joy in Wheaton will be my first choice as it is acute rehab. My goal is to have Stamp Camp in May either the 4th, 5th and 6th or the 11th, 12th and 13th. The theme for May is “Honoring the Women in our Lives.” I have several new sets planned for May Stamp and am hoping I will be in shape by that date. I will be trading back pain for stiffness, but I am willing to do that. Your prayers will be appreciated!

I absolutely love the Sunburst Thinlit Die! It sells for $29 but can be used for absolutely any occasion. This die allows you to cut a ray of sunshine in record time with the Big Shot. The actual size is 4-13/16" x 6-1/2". Check out 4 of the 5 samples below.

This Easter Sunburst card uses a Crisp Cantaloupe (retired) card, and 2 – 5 1/4 X 4 layers from the Pretty Petals DSP Stack. I judiciously added a bit of Wink of Stella to several flowers on the patterned starburst, and on the punched bunny and butterflies. The large Happy Easter message is punched out with a scallop punch and layered on a circle that matches the green background DSP. The completed message is then popped on the sunburst center with dimensionals.

Looks pretty easy? It IS very easy and fast.

DSP for this card was also taken from the Pretty Petals DSP Stack and features vibrant Pacific Point. Although a variety of DSP has been cut for you, you have the option of going through the paper stacks and choosing your own combination. I also did a cute “Sending Springtime Smiles” card but neglected to get it to my ace photographer. I styled that card horizontally instead of the vertical usage we see here.

Need a quick birthday card? This is the way to go. DSP from the Pretty Petals stack, a few tiny butterflies from a big box butterfly punch, an appropriate sentiment and the card is ready to go! I added a bit of Wink of Stella as I love the added interest it gives. This style could easily be used for a Thinking of You, Anniversary, Retirement, or even Sympathy card. You could sit down while watching TV and precut background DSP and die cut several sunburst images. Then you are ready to go when you need a fast card.

Need a St. Patrick’s Day card? I precut some Crushed Curry and Garden Green DSP to help you out. As I wanted a different center message, I reached out to Graphic Fairy and chose this Irish lass. I added Wink of Stella to the clothing and flag so it jumps out. After the pictures were taken, I ended up adding 2 metal shamrocks in 2 shades of green. The shamrock usage dresses up the card. The inside message is the standard “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” with 2 added punched shamrocks.

Now that you have seen all 4 Stamp Camp samples, don’t forget to let me know if you wish to omit a card and do 2 of a different card. I can accommodate these requests, but please let me know as soon as you can.

As a reminder, March Stamp Camp is Thursday March 3rd from 12 Noon to 9 PM, Friday March 4th from 2 PM to 9 PM, and Saturday March 5th from 9 AM – 4 PM. Hope to see you there. Let me know if you have any questions.